Learn Italian at Il Sasso Italian Language School

A Rock-Solid Immersion Experience in the Heart of Tuscany

By Linda Weinberger
Resources updated 12/21/2023 by Transitions Abroad

Houses along the walls of the historic center of Montepulciano.

She’s going to live my dream... I thought about a friend’s plan to attend Il Sasso, an Italian language school in Montepulciano, Italy. It didn’t take me long to do some crafty calendar adjusting and put down my small deposit for a two-week course to begin my real-life dream of living in Italy and learning the language. 

Montepulciano, the quintessential medieval Tuscan hill town, is the backdrop for this Italian immersion school. As early as the 14th century, Tuscany established itself as the hub of dialect-free Italian. Il Sasso Italian Language School continues in that noble tradition. continues in that noble tradition. Students from around the world discover a superior level of professionalism and personalized instruction at the language school.

Il Sasso is locally owned and operated, not part of a chain. The school was established in 1983, taking its name and logo from an Etruscan stone found in the fortifications of the ancient village. It remains under the direction of its founders and is recognized by the Ministry of Education.

7:45 a.m. Monday: “It’s time to leave for school,” my friend Donna Drago calls out as we leave her comfortable Tuscan apartment, La Loggia, in a 500-year-old farmhouse near Radicofani, just 25 minutes from  Montepulciano. Winding our way through Tuscan cypresses, pastures of white Chianina cattle, and fields of just-blooming poppies, we arrive outside the walls of  Montepulciano, park our Fiat, and begin the walk up the hill toward Il Sasso. As shopkeepers sweep their stoops and bring out their wares, my feet soon tell me that my cowgirl boots are a fun fashion accessory. They are not ideal for walking uphill on ancient, cobblestone streets.

The Diverse Classes at Il Sasso

Il Sasso offers many course options: group, individual, wine, literature, history, culinary, art history, garden, and fiction. I chose the group lessons (about $570 for two weeks), and first on the agenda was a placement test. The test didn’t take long because I didn’t know most of the answers. After a conversation with Silvia, I was placed in Elementary 1, the equivalent of first grade. 

My teachers, Costanza and Roberta, each brought their unique brand of teaching to the group. Il Sasso teachers are local residents with university degrees and specialize in adult education training. Through games, conversation, pantomime, reading passages, and outright cajoling, Costanza took me from being a newbie learner through the paces of first-grade level Italian. I dubbed Roberta “the closer,” just like the baseball pitcher who comes in to finish the game. She gave me faster ears: the ability to listen to authentic Italian and pick up the gist of the conversation. 

The author and her teachers, Sara, Costanza, and Roberta. Photo by Linda Weinberger.

Group classes begin at 8:45 and end at 1:15 with two breaks. Students flock to the coffee bar around the corner at 10:15. After two nights of my heart pounding at 2 a.m., I learned to order a decaf cappuccino. I felt oh so Italian; when Alessandro, the barista, made eye contact, we’d nod, and he knew immediately to make me a decaffeinato cappuccino.

At the start of class each morning, I could always anticipate the question, “Che cosa fai ieri dopo classe?”  What did you do after class yesterday?  Flipping through my mental Rolodex while gazing out the massive window in the classroom, I prayed that the correct Italian words would magically float down and paste themselves on one of the ancient walls for me to read. 

“Vado... spa... ieri,” I say. (I’m trying to say, “I went to a spa.”) Costanza smiles, “Sono andata la spa ieri,” she gently corrects. “Dovè?” (Where?) she says. And so it goes...and soon I realize I’ve just had a 10-minute conversation in Italian, answering questions, providing comic relief for fellow students, and feeling pretty darn good about all that vocabulary I studied and picked up. One student describes forgetting his wallet when he went to the supermercato (grocery store), and another paints a picture of her afternoon trying to trade recipes with her homestay hostess while using her dictionary. Costanza tells us she got a traffic ticket.

Eating and Living Well in Tuscany

When my daily lessons conclude at 1:15, I make a beeline to find la mia amica Donna, a more advanced learner who is in second grade. She arrived at Il Sasso a week before me because those with language experience may begin classes on any Monday. Now, the big decision: Where shall we have lunch?  We choose one of the outstanding local trattorias, order wine, and exhale. It’s time to speak English. We share what we’ve learned, and we eat.  And we order more wine. After two glasses of good wine and a lunch of Tuscan delicacies, we head out for afternoon activities. 

Il Sasso offers a wealth of optional seasonal activities. Check their website to see their yearly offerings. For example, students might choose a walking tour, a cooking class, a trip to neighboring villages such as Pienza or Cortona, an organic cheese farm, or a lecture on the area's history. Afternoon private Italian lessons are also available. Some afternoons, I needed quiet time. I experienced mal di testa (headache) from listening and learning so much. I think my brain actually hurt at times due to all the stimulation and linguistic gymnastics.

The author with Il Sasso classmates at Gattavecchi Ristorante for a cooking class. Photo by Linda Weinberger.

Homestay and Immersion

During my second week, I moved to a homestay accommodation. Right around the corner from Il Sasso, I stayed with Gabriella, a lovely retired teacher who spoke to me only in Italian. Staying in an Italian home enhanced my experience and expanded my language skills. One classmate begged her homestay hostess to make smaller dinners, but you’re in Italy, so mangia! Another student returns to Il Sasso to live with his Italian homestay famiglia (family) each year.

I attended Il Sasso during the Easter holiday, so classes were canceled on Pasquita (Easter Monday). I thought I’d take a walk, but Gabriella had other ideas. She told me she wanted to take me in her car to a nearby town, Città della Pieve, for a festival. At least, I thought that’s what she was saying. I heard la macchina (car) and la festa, (festival) and filled in the blanks. Yes, off we went, where we walked arm-in-arm as Italian women do, drank caffè, il vino, and sampled arancini (Sicilian rice balls). Glorious!

And then came the day of the tears. You know that experience: the gulping, can’t quite catch your breath kind. This was all because of an indirect object pronoun lesson. Only two of us were in the group during my second week, and my classmate was a quick study. She finished the written exercise before I even figured out the directions on the paper. I could tell what was going to happen...I tried to stuff it down...and then it erupted. Loud, wracking sobs. Roberta kindly helped me through my crisis. When class ended at 12:30 that day, I was immensely relieved. (With only two students in a class, Il Sasso offers three hours of instruction.) Two-afternoon private lessons with Sara restored my confidence. 

All too soon, l’ultimo giorno (the last day) arrived. I graduated from first grade and was awarded a certificate as proof, which I proudly accepted. Like many life-long learners, I plan to return to Il Sasso, a testament to a well-run school and well-satisfied students.

My dream became my reality. Sogni d’oro a te (Sweet dreams to you)!

Explore Il Sasso Italian Language School for their many great options!

Linda Weinberger is a freelance travel writer who lives in East Greenville, PA, and Beaufort, SC.